Five rare pre-war cars that were once the pride and joy of a West Norfolk haulier will go  under the hammer at a classic car sale at the end of this month.

After being on display to the public in Holkham Hall’s bygones museum since the early 1990s, Maurice Rose’s collection will be looking for new ownership at Anglia Car Auctions classic car sale at Lynn.

The collection includes a 1909 Renault, which was modified from the original Thrupp & Maberley body into a shooting wagon, and is the oldest car ever to be offered at at this auction.

There is also a 1922 Talbot Durrac open top touring Limo, a 1922 two-seater open top Morris Cowley Bullnose, a 1925 Oily Rag Wolseley and a 1926 Austin 7 Chummy.

The cars were among a number owned and restored by general haulier Maurice who lived at Tilney St Lawrence and took them to shows with his sons.

He loaned the Renault back to its previous owner to take part in Swaffham carnival parade in the 1960s.

On his death, aged 78, in 1990, they were put on display at Holkham. In October the hall announced it would be closing the bygones museum to make room for a new exhibition telling the story of the estate’s unique farming heritage and offered the cars back to Maurice’s seven sons and two daughters.

David Rose said: “Dad was proud to be a Norfolk man and wanted the cars to stay in Norfolk so left them to the museum for all to see. It has been a very hard decision by the family to sell them but none of us have the facility to store them or the capacity to show them as my dad would have wanted, so it’s better they go to new owners who can share them with other enthusiasts.”

Robert Rose said: “Obviously it would by great if they stayed together as a collection but we want them to go to someone who will appreciate them and maybe we will see them out at shows again in the future. I expect some of us will go to see them sold.””

Rob George, of Anglia Car Auctions, said: “This is a lovely collection of charming local cars that have been incredibly well kept by the Bygones Museum. None of them run at present due to being on static display for so long but we will endeavour to have them running by the sale.”

The sale will be on Saturday, January 31 at the auction site in Beveridge Way, Hardwick Narrows.